Bowfishing is a method of fishing where you use a bow and arrow instead of a traditional fishing pole.
To do this, you need a steady hand and the right equipment to make a clear, effective shot.
A whisker biscuit is part of traditional archery, but can you use it for bowfishing as well?
A whisker biscuit is a piece of equipment that is used to hold arrows on a bow. This piece of equipment can be used for bowfishing and other types of activities containing a bow. A whisker biscuit has different uses depending on what you want your bow to be able to do.
Many different aspects need to be considered before using a whisker biscuit during hunting. They can be useful pieces of equipment if you use them correctly.
Whisker Biscuits
Whisker biscuits are an attachment for bows in many forms of archery. This attachment is a circular piece that has plastic bristles with a hole in the middle.
The synthetic bristles in the biscuit have the ability to hold the arrow steady in the center of the circle. Holding an arrow steading creates perfect alignment for the arrow to hit its target.
Whisker biscuits give the archer greater control, which is why they are commonly used.
Bowhunters took up the use of a whisker biscuit to minimize their fight against the bow.
Fighting the bow can cause an arrow to fall off the rest and mess up your shot alignment.
The arrow can drift from the side of the bow while being connected to the pulled string.
Differences in Whisker Biscuits
Whisker biscuits come with different levels of bristle strength.
These differences are necessary because the right whisker biscuits can help, while the wrong ones can hurt.
In order to preserve your arrows, it’s important to pick the right kind.
Regular Whisker Biscuits
Regular whisker biscuits are different and less stiff than bowfishing biscuits. This is due to the use they are designed for.
Regular whisker biscuits are designed to penetrate land animals, not water and fish. However, this type is not used as much because of the damage it can do to the fletching of the arrow.
It is still used for alignment on shooting and keeping the arrow straight while sitting in a treestand for hours on end.
Bowfishing Whisker Biscuits
Bowfishing whisker biscuits are a certain type of biscuit that is used when you are dealing with fishing. The bristles are 300 times stronger than a regular whisker biscuit.
This is due to the bristles being stiffer to hold up the heavier arrows. The arrows for bow fishing are heavier to penetrate the water more easily while still retaining power.
The bristles are also waterproof to persevere them and extend their lifespan.
Bow and Arrow Types
Different bows and arrows have different types of purposes and are better equipped for different areas of hunting.
For example, when hunting a deer, it is recommended to use a compound bow or a recurve bow.
In bowfishing, certain bows are most useful for hunting fish.
Even though any hunting bow can be used to go bowfishing, there are modifications and special features that need to be added before using it.
The top 5 best bows for fishing
- Cabjun Bowfishing Sucker Punch Bowfishing Bow
- Muzzy LV-X Bowfishing Lever Bow
- AMS Bowfishing Hooligan Bow Kit
- PSE Archery D3 Bowfishing Compound Bow
- Pandarus Bowfishing Bow
The arrows required and used for bowfishing are stiffer and have an extra length that weakens the spine so it is better attuned with the bow.
Another difference between bowfishing arrows and regular arrow is that they are waterproof and heavier so it is easier to enter the water and not get damaged.
The fletching is also different because bowfishing and waterproof arrows don’t have any fletching. This helps them to not get damaged.
The top 5 best arrows for fishing
- Muzzy Bowfishing Arrow
- AMS Chaos Point/ Fiberglass Arrow
- AnKor FX Point/ Fiberglass Arrow
- Pandarus Bowfishing Arrow
- Cajun Bowfishing Sting-A-Ree Tournament Point/ Fiberglass Arrow
Pros and Cons
Just like any bowfishing accessory, there are pros and cons to whisker biscuits and what they can do for you.
This piece of equipment deals with hunting. Trying to find and kill fish can be difficult without the right equipment.
Pros
Improves accuracy
Accuracy is an important part of bowhunting. There is a small margin for error and the shot has to be precise to catch the prey. With the whisker biscuit, there is a place for the arrow to rest and to keep the arrow in place. The most accurate whisker biscuit is that of a Trophy Ridge Whisker Biscuit Kill Shot Arrow Rest.
Holds arrow securely
The whisker biscuit holds the arrow securely because of the placement on the bow. Through the secure placement and resting, the arrows have less room to slip around when aiming at a target.
Silence the shots
Sound can have a different effect while hunting and most hunters want to be as silent as possible to get the prey. The whiskers or bristles of the biscuit help quiet the arrows’ sound. Though there are times where the biscuit needs to be maintained to stay quiet and that requires trimming the bristles.
Simple and reliable
Whisker biscuits are very simple pieces of equipment that are used to help with accuracy and sound on a bow. This is reliable for shooting to give the arrows a place to stay and rest. This helps even after the person gets tired because the arrow can still be straight and standing.
Arrow Speed
The speed of an arrow needs to be going a certain speed to reach its destination. Though the whisker biscuits do slow down the arrows’ speed ever so slightly, there is no noticeable difference that it matters.
Cons
Full contact with the fletching
The fletching on an arrow is the plastic or feathers that are used to stabilize the arrow while flying through the air. Using a whisker biscuit can damage the fletching of the arrows being used.
Never learning how to shoot
Using a whisker biscuit makes it more difficult to actually shoot without it.
Learning to shoot a bow properly before using a stabilizer is important because it gives different options to find the right way for a person to hunt.
